August 1, 1999
A man suspected of murdering one Taylorsville woman and raping another is behind bars. Sheriff's investigators arrested him this morning.
News Specialist Stacey Butler has more from the Salt Lake County Sheriff's headquarters.
When a State Corrections employee looked at this revised composite sketch on Friday, it immediatley rang a bell. He told Sheriff's investigators that a parolee matching the composite was recently released from prison where he served time for aggravated sexual assault.
When police arrested the man Sunday morning, they found the composite sketch wasn't the only thing that matched the suspect.
Sheriff Aaron Kennard/Salt Lake County: "YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT THE EVIDENCE IS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED. I'LL SHARE WITH YOU THAT IT'S POSITIVE DNA."
Sheriff's detectives say DNA evidence links 34-year-old Robert Overstreet, also known as Robert Hegelman, to the murder of Taylorsville actress Danielle Omer, and the rape of another woman in the same neighborhood just hours before the murder.
Deputies arrested Overstreet early this morning in Springville Canyon. He was sleeping in his truck. Detectives say he recently stayed with friends in Kearns, but has no known address. Overstreet was released from prison on parole last year after serving time for burglary and aggravated sexual assault.
Detectives say prison DNA records helped them make a quick connection.
It's been a long weekend for neighbors of the victims. Since detectives announced Friday the suspect was probably somewhere nearby, many barricaded themselves inside. Others boarded up glass doors.
Today neighbors gathered outside for the first time since the crimes were comitted and listened to the good news.
"I AM RELIEVED, VERY MUCH SO. BUT STILL I HAVE THE FEAR IN THE BACK OF MY MIND THAT HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE."
"I HOPE IT'S HIM. I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY IT'S HIM. BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN PRAYING REALLY HARD FOR THIS."
"OVERWHELMING RELIEF. I DIDN'T EVEN REALLY KNOW I WAS
UNTIL I HEARD THIS NEWS AND I STARTED TO CRY."
"WHEN THE BISHOP ANNOUNCED IT IN CHURCH THIS MORNING, YOU COULD TELL THE WHOLE CONGREGATION WAS JUST SO RELIEVED AND SO THANKFUL THAT WE MIGHT HAVE AN END TO ALL THIS FEAR."
Sheriff's detectives feel certain this is the end. In addition to the DNA evidence they also found in the suspect's posession clothing that the victim described he was wearing during the rape.
